1
as in cuddling
to touch one another with the lips as a sign of love
it's traditional for couples to kiss under the mistletoe at Christmastime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in brushing
to pass lightly across or touch gently especially in passing
a gentle breeze kissing the water's surface
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of kissing
Onscreen, Benedict apologizes for kissing Sophie during a moment of passion near the cottage and reiterates his intent to find work for her without ever uttering the word mistress.
—
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
They had been caught hugging and kissing in a public bathroom.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Dick’s will serve both wet-aged and dry-aged steaks on a New York-style broiler, kissing some steaks with charcoal from a charcoal grill.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2026
The couple were first spotted together publicly in September 2025, when they were photographed kissing in London outside a restaurant.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
Robbie opened up about kissing co-star Jacob Elordi while chatting with host Jimmy Kimmel.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 27 Jan. 2026
Styles shared the news of his tour on Instagram with a carousel of posters for each residency spliced together with photos of couples kissing.
—Sophie Donovan, Glamour, 23 Jan. 2026
In a special five-minute video on Styles’s YouTube, Kornacki breaks down the Together, Together tour coming later this year with his giant board and photos of people kissing behind it, which is what every political analyst’s set should look like.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2026
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
They had been caught hugging and kissing in a public bathroom.
—CBS News, 29 Jan. 2026
Dick’s will serve both wet-aged and dry-aged steaks on a New York-style broiler, kissing some steaks with charcoal from a charcoal grill.
—Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2026
The couple were first spotted together publicly in September 2025, when they were photographed kissing in London outside a restaurant.
—Elizabeth Rosner, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
That moment is similar to one in the show where another closeted hockey star, Scott Hunter (François Arnaud) shocks the world by kissing his secret boyfriend on center ice after winning a championship.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 27 Jan. 2026
Robbie opened up about kissing co-star Jacob Elordi while chatting with host Jimmy Kimmel.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 27 Jan. 2026
Styles shared the news of his tour on Instagram with a carousel of posters for each residency spliced together with photos of couples kissing.
—Sophie Donovan, Glamour, 23 Jan. 2026
In a special five-minute video on Styles’s YouTube, Kornacki breaks down the Together, Together tour coming later this year with his giant board and photos of people kissing behind it, which is what every political analyst’s set should look like.
—Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 22 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kissing
Verb
-
Kardashian included a round-up of photos throughout the years, featuring pictures of Chicago skiing, cuddling with her mom, spending time with her family and posing in a field of flowers.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Their Mexican vacation comes after the pair rang in the New Year together—instead of partying the night away, the couple kept things simple, cuddling up on the couch to watch the University of Miami Hurricanes—the team Ramirez supports—take on the Ohio State University Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl.—
Meg Walters,
InStyle,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Broil, brushing with remaining sauce in pan halfway through, until salmon is cooked through and sauce is heavily blistered, 12–14 minutes, depending on thickness of fillet.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Testing the powder on rats fed a high-sugar diet, the team found that brushing with BSCT for just one minute a day was enough to restore the rats' oral microbiome, reduce inflammation, and kill the bacteria that causes periodontitis.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Monday, the actress shared her latest Instagram carousel, which showed the actor smooching Alba on the cheek.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
5 Jan. 2026
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Elsewhere in their conversation for VF, Hawke pointed out that Paltrow's Central Park kiss with Chalamet is reminiscent of a moment from Great Expectations, which saw the two actors smooching in the park.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Dec. 2025
Verb
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He was accused of inappropriately touching or taking an unusual interest in at least seven preteen students within a three-year period working within District 203, though Naperville police at the time said no complaints had been filed locally.—
Olivia Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Slippery Neptune moves into your intimidating 8th house, touching upon boundaries with money, secrets, and other vulnerable topics.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
They had been caught hugging and kissing in a public bathroom.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
-
From there the trail angles towards Wasson, hugging first one side of the high shoulder and then the other.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ultimately, the weekend winter storm can provide one more reason to relax indoors by snuggling with your pets.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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The two can be seen sharing kisses, showering and snuggling up — all in their skivvies.—
Hedy Phillips,
PEOPLE,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Kissing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kissing. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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